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♪ all you're ever going to be is mean ♪ ♪ why you got to be so mean nice song selection, well done. >> well done. welcome back, everybody. the controversy over the movie critic who blasted melissa mccarthy's weight in her new movie "identity theft" is

entering its second week. >> he's now defending what he said and melissa's cousin, jenny mccarthy, is rushing to defend her. lara spencer has the story. >> i can do this all day with you. >> reporter: it is the plus-size controversy that doesn't seem to be going away. >> she's very talented. >> absolutely. >> reporter: late wednesday, jenny mccarthy came to the defense of her cousin, melissa mccarthy, after her movie and size were panned, who called melissa mccarthy three derogatory terms in regards to her size. >> i don't know the whole story, but i do know that after being in this business 20 years, it's really crummy you get attacked in your personal life in general. >> reporter: while melissa has yet to respond, reed has, defending his review on

wednesday. >> that's what her career is about, she is basing her career on being obnoxious and being overweight, and i don't think that's funny. >> reporter: reed took credit for "identify theft" stealing the weekend box office, earning more than $36 million, doubling expectations, saying the controversy over his criticism was manufactured by the movie studio. >> it got nothing but bad reviews, terrible reviews from everybody. but i'm the one they chose this time to cash in on to try to sell the picture. >> reporter: but while reed may take issue with mccarthy's on screen performance, he says he has praise for her real-life character. >> this girl melissa mccarthy has remained silent, and i think that's very classy. >> reporter: reed says after years of watching friends struggle with weight issues, he doesn't find fat jokes funny.

>> i don't care how much melissa mccarthy weighs. she wants to be fat, she's -- mark, she is crying all the way to the bank. >> i'm having a hard time with his defense of his words. >> you know, it's interesting -- she's successful, she's doing her thing. weight is not an uncommon problem in the country. >> first of all, that's her deal. you don't know if she's 100% healthy. how dare you call her a hippo. >> that was his language, yeah. >> that's uncalled for. and by the way, then he goes on to say, you're classy for not saying anything to the derogatory things i've called you. there's no place for that. >> even willis is upset. >> go on, willis! up next, our favorite story of the day. >> how the tragic death of a young man gave birth to quite a unique love story. you're watching "world news now."

"world news

get that hate out your heart. feel the love. >> let the love in, let it in. a seattle man got a second chance at life, thanks to an organ donor. a young man who gave him his

heart. >> an amazing story here. on top of that, our favorite story of the day. he was so grateful he reached out to the young man's family and was blessed for a second time. erin johnson of our station in seattle has the story. >> reporter: she likes to put her head to his chest and listen to his heart beat. >> oh, yeah. steady. >> reporter: at 17, connor had been a star catcher, being recruited by division i schools. his life changed in 2005, when they told him he needed a new heart. that if he didn't get one, he would die. >> you pray for someone to save you, but at the same time, you need to pray for them to die. >> reporter: kellen roberts was a seattle kid, very alive, generous to a fault. he drove his red truck all over the country. lived life on his terms.

connor was dying. march 7, 2005, on a trip to sioux falls, south dakota, kellen hit his head in a freak accident. there was hemorrhaging. circulation was cut off to his brain. he died there far from home, but not far from minneapolis. he was an organ donor. the transplant was a success. the engine of life had passed from one man to another. >> i just wish he could know how grateful i am for him. >> reporter: aaron, more than anyone, understands what's in connor's heart. here's why. she too knew kellen roberts. in fact, that was her in the boat with him when they were children. erin is kellen's sister. a year later, they say they fell in love almost immediately. >> instantly. >> i have it vividly in my head, just looking over, feeling her

mom hug me and just staring into her eyes. >> reporter: and so it came to be that her brother's heart is beating inside her true love's chest. >> i hear him all the time in my head. >> oh, my god. wow. i mean, there are stories, and then there are really impactful stories. that's beautiful. >> rarely blown away by a story, but that was it. unbelievable. the power of love on many different levels. we'll be back. different levels. we'll be back. septic disasters are disgusting and costly, but avoidable.

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welcome back, everybody. time for "the mix." we want to get to something that is oh, so interesting. apparently, there's a 20-year-old out there named mark who is in a relationship with 15 inflatable animals. there he is. he's going to be featured in tlc's "my strange addiction." and the dragon is like a wife to him, apparently.

but apparently he keeps a pure and nonsexual relationship with these objects. he admits he spends less time with his toys and more time with actual humans. but yeah, that's that. >> wow! there's a joke in there somewhere, but i have to get to this breaking news this morning. they're saying a new study is out saying if you have to fart on a plane, just go for it. if you don't, it can bring on stress, discomfort, pain, bloating and for pilots, could distract them and cause them to break concentration. so if you have to go on the plane, do what you have to do. just -- >> oh! ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

this morning on "world news now," home at last. >> it was a joyful late-night return for the thousands of exhausted passengers trapped on that stranded cruise ship. it's friday, february 15th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good friday morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm diana perez. more on the passengers' joyful arrival in just a moment.

but first, some of the other stories we're following for you this half hour. we could learn more about the case against olympic runner oscar pistorius. he faces a judge to answer accusations that he shot and killed his girlfriend inside their home. also today, a close encounter of a massive astroid speeding towards earth, coming closer than any in years. the surprising way it was discovered. first, passengers who spent more than a week on that cruise ship are grateful to be back on solid ground. >> some bent down and kissed the earth after stepping off that boat in mobile, alabama. abc's marci gonzalez was watching the drama unfold. >> reporter: good evening. the ship pulled into the dock here about four hours ago, and still passengers are disembarking. cheering that their nightmare on board is finally over. the last miles were the longest, as passengers on the carnival "triumph" sweated out their final minutes aboard the luxury liner that became a squalid prison ship.

>> i'm not angry. i'm just so happy to be home really. >> reporter: the "triumph" left port eight days ago with more than 4,000 people aboard. but an engine fire left it a helpless giant. marooned in the gulf of mexico with no power, sewage seeping down walls and scarce rations. for passengers, it was a nightmare. >> sewer kept backing up, and there would be six inches of it all over the ship in the dining area where we had to eat. >> reporter: carpeting in the hallways soaked in urine. the heat and stench forced passengers topside where they put up a shanty town, living in the open and sleeping on deck. one sick passenger was medevaced to safety. >> a few little medical emergencies, and i hope and pray that they're okay. >> reporter: once at port, the passenger's ordeal still isn't over.

buses carried weary travelers on the next leg of their long trip home. passengers will be reimbursed, offered a free cruise and $500. >> i know it's very difficult, and i want to apologize again for subjecting our guests to that. >> reporter: and those not taking the buses are finding their own way home, saying they are too desperate for hot food and a hot shower to wait. we're live in mobile, alabama, marci gonzalez, abc news. now back to you. >> thanks, marci, for that report. appreciate that. unbelievable. you can imagine that will probably be the greatest shower and greatest hot meal they've had in their entire life. >> for sure. >> that one woman medevaced, she had suffered a stroke. we're waiting on word about her condition. obviously a serious condition

there. so we're happy to hear they got her off the ship. but you can imagine some folks are like, i don't want to be on your bus. i want out of here to get to a friend's house or a family member. >> not only, that i don't want your $500, i don't want your free cruise. give me my money back and let me walk away. the president and ceo of carnival cruise lines did come out and say he was going to get on the ship to personally apologize to the people that were on there. as soon as the ship docked he said he was going to get on there and apologize. one thing, though, social media has blown up about how it was a terrible experience but they were appreciative of the crew members who did at least try to make it somewhat of a decent experience. >> the crew was suffering, too. they were in the same awful conditions. all those days waiting to get back to land, only one functioning elevator on that ship. so 4,000 people trying to get off one ship with one elevator to get back to ground. it took them hours. >> and they're still doing it. it's going to take them five hours, estimation. >> those folks all deserve -- >> they're so lucky to be home. >> yes, they are. >> we're happy for them. >> to hell and back. now a story out of south africa. olympic runner oscar pistorius charged with the murder of his girlfriend.

he was in court this morning for a bail hearing. the exact circumstances of 30-year-old model reeva steenkamp's death remain unclear, but police say there have been domestic disputes at pistorius' house previously. pistorius gained global recognition last summer when he became the first double amputee to ever run in the olympics. stunner of a story here. >> this is one of those stories we'll be talking about for a long time, his state of mind, what really happened. here's something interesting. a british journalist told abcnews.com he had several guns at home, one by his bed, one by his window. and also some sort of machine gun. he described pistorius as easy going and relaxed but prone to drastic shifts in mood. we're hearing that they were there before for domestic issues. this is going to be a long, drawn out story. >> the initial story when this broke yesterday is he thought there was an intruder in the house. that maybe this was an accidental shooting. but apparently maybe that was not the case.

>> that was the first story to cover it up and now the story is evolving. still a sad story for sure. now on to this. the body of christopher dorner has been positively identified. dorner's dental records matched the charred remains found inside a burnt out cabin in the big bear resort area, but the coroner did not reveal the cause of death. dorner killed four people, including two officers in his revenge campaign against the lapd. leon panetta will still be the defense secretary, at least for a few more days. republicans in the senate have blocked a vote on chuck hagel's nomination. and since congress is in recess for the president's day holiday, the next time the nomination can be taken up is a week from monday. president obama accused republicans of simply playing politics, charges they deny. also one more political note. the oldest lawmaker in the senate has announced he will not run again. new jersey's frank lautenberg turned 89 last month.

the last world war ii veteran serving in the senate. he faced a likely challenge from the mayor of newark, new jersey, cory booker. the senator has been a staunch advocate of gun control and a big champion of the amtrak rail system. another lawmaker in the news. congressman steve cohen says the young woman he was tweeting with during today's state of the union address was his secret daughter. he said he only discovered her existence three years ago after receiving a tweet from her. he said he was overwhelmed with joy that she actually wanted him in his life. initially, his staff did say that he was tweeting with the daughter of a long-time friend. illinois is a step closer to becoming the tenth state to approve same-sex marriage. the senate passed a bill that would allow gay couples to get married. the fate of the legislation in the illinois house remains uncertain. but if it passes, the governor, a democrat, has promised to sign it. also from the culture wars this morning, this out of southern california.

a pregnant woman says she was fired for having premarital sex. terry james and her attorney gloria allred are suing san diego christian college claiming wrongful termination. james worked at the school for about two years. she claims she was fired after admitting being pregnant. >> a child is a blessing, and our number one goal is to start our child's life off in a positive way. >> the school's so-called community covenant says premarital sex is frowned upon but it does not say what consequences employees would face for violations. since getting pregnant, james has gotten married. the baby is due in june. a virginia couple is looking forward to an early retirement after claiming a $217 million powerball jackpot. david honeywell bought the ticket at richmond airport last week just before leaving for a business trip. he and his wife nancy opted for the lump sum cash payment of $130 million before taxes. he described what it felt like when he realized he had won.

>> i started reading the numbers left to right. i'm like no, this can't be. i looked up at the draw date and i'm like this still can't be. pretty soon my hands were shaking like this. i can barely read the ticket anymore the shaking is so bad. >> the honeywells both work for the department of defense. they begin their 80 mile commute to work every day at 4:00 a.m. now he's going to buy a new suv to replace his 13-year-old car, which has 170,000 miles on it. couldn't have happened to better people. >> i love when folks win the lottery are everyday working folks and they can retire early or help put their kids through school. that kind of shift, 4:00 a.m., hitting the road for 80 miles. i love when those kind of folks win. >> is it our turn next? lottery gods, is it our turn next? >> don't hold your breath. golf has been referred to as a long walk spoiled, and plenty of rounds have been spoiled with plenty of bad shots. >> we've never heard of this before.

a stampede of kangaroos, yes, kangaroos delayed play yesterday in the lpga's australian open. they marched across the fairway with little regard for players, caddies or anyone else. >> the experts tell us the rogue roos are being put off by australia's drought and seeking grass and water wherever they can find it. can't blame them. >> that's for sure. coming up, a nail biting near miss. >> a huge astroid is headed close to earth. what's surprising is nasa didn't even see it. we'll tell you why, coming up next right here on "world news now." "world news now" weather brought to you by consumer cellular.

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♪ right now, a giant astroid is hurtling toward the earth. at exactly 2:24 this afternoon eastern time, it will come closer than any other astroid has in decades. >> this drive-by space rock will ultimately spin away harmlessly. but scientists say this is a wakeup call. and abc's neal karlinsky has the story. >> reporter: right now while you're watching this, a chunk of space rock big enough to level a city is hurtling towards our planet eight times faster than a speeding bullet. the good news is scientists say

it will miss. the scary news is, the 130,000 metric ton astroid called da-14 is the size of half a football field, and it will be much closer than the moon. in fact, it will thread the needle between earth and the roughly 600 satellites around us. the ones that your cell phone relies on, possibly even smashing one on its way by. but if that's why you're think thing is a long way from all of us way down here walking the streets, you may want to think again. the last close call turned out to be a direct hit. it was 1908, and luckily it hit the middle of nowhere, siberia, decimating 1,000 miles of trees but no people. >> if a very large astroid hit, it would probably create the same kind of disaster that wiped out the dinosaurs. >> reporter: no one knew it was headed our way until a spanish dentist and amateur astronomer randomly discovered it a year ago.

nasa doesn't have the resources to look for astroids, which is why a trio of american astronauts and rocket scientists are raising money to launch their own astroid early warning system, a dedicated telescope scanning the stars for threats. >> this is a wakeup call that we should be looking out there. these things do hit the earth. >> reporter: scientists say we can keep the planet safe if we know what's out there headed our way. neal karlinsky, abc news, seattle. >> thanks a lot for that story. not the only weird space news this morning either. >> in russia, it's literally raping from the sky. what we think might be a meteor shower has hit this part of the country. i mean, right now some devastation from what we're hearing. lots of cars with busted out windows and lots of homes with busted out windows. >> at least is always the key word. 250 people injured because they were hurt by that glass, they were cut by all that glass shattering in the midst of all

this. this is something you would see out of a movie, but we'll keep an eye on that for the rest of the morning. >> no school for them and they're in the cold right now, which is not good news. >> weird news from space. everyone take cover in you have to today. "world news now"

♪ skinny, so skinny

come on, willis. >> skinny in the house! >> all righty. let's get through them. okay, so we all remember the nightclub brawl that chris brown and drake had last june. now the two of them are at it again, but in the courtroom. they have both decided to sue each other, and by the way, the french model, we're not sure if it's a man or woman, is also suing the both of them. three-way lawsuit. >> she was hurt in the scuffle, she had a bottle tossed at her. >> and you know what? it is a she, because we saw the bloody pictures of her face. i remember that. so any way, everybody is in court. who knows who is going to win? and chris brown, this is not the only brawl he's involved in. billy ocean -- >> not billy ocean. >> who is the ocean? >> frank ocean. >> frank ocean, that's right.

>> they had some words. some fisticuffs. some rough news for him. also, tiger woods, everyone's favorite golfer back in the news. apparently there are reports out that he and famous skier lindsey vonn are getting closer. she was in the ledlines for the bad fall she took. "us weekly" reporting that they're getting closer and spent time with each other's families. her brother gave ski lessons to woods' daughter sam. and son charlie who he shares custody with. to add fuel to the flames here, woods gave vonn a private lift on his jet last week following her bad accident at the championship games. according to "people" magazine, they talk and text frequently. one source says tiger wants a woman he can have good conversations with. he wants shared outlooks. he is finding that with lindsay. thank you to tmz for that photo of the private jet apparently. >> good luck to them. that's all i have to say.

>> tiger is well known for being a conversationalist. so i'm glad he's found somebody he can talk to. now on to this. ke$ha, we all know she's the bad girl of pop these days. there's a new documentary out called "my crazy beautiful life." she reveals she drank her own urine to be healthy. it's kind of -- well, it is flat out disgusting. but she's always known for her outrageous behavior. it includes her making out with guys, jumping out of buildings and airplanes. swimming with sharks and much, much more. so you'll obviously want to see this. >> drinks her own urine? >> well, they say that it does have powerful effects, apparently. >> yeah, on your breath. oh, man. ke$ha, she's out there, though. can't be too surprised. this story i'm in love with. we all know chubby checker, do the twist. he is suing hewlett packard for $500 million because apparently there's a new app called the

chubby checker which allows women to estimate the length of their man's genitalia based on his shoe size. the thing about his name, chubby checker, there's an app called chubby checker that estimates a man's whatever based on his shoe size. chubby is upset, using my name now i want some money. what you looking at? chubby's mad over chubby. ver chubby. looking at? chubby's mad over chubby. ack to. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal. intermezzo should not be taken

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vote. the families of newtown deserve a vote. and the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence, they deserve a simple vote. >> the truth is, every problem can't be solved by the government. many are caused by the moral breakdown in our society. and the answer to these challenges lie primarily in our families and our faiths, not our politicians. >> he certainly slowed down a bit. you could tell he had trouble negotiating steps. he started using the cane several months ago. >> the cardinals are going to have to weigh experience and the need for a certain level of energy. >> there's no light, no water. we can't flush. some people were able to shower. >> our promise to our guests is to provide great vacations, and we try very hard to do that all the time. it's obvious in this particular case we did not deliver on that promise.

>> every day that dorner is loose, the likelihood of an attack on either a uniformed police officer or a family of a police officer is likely. >> we believe that someone was inside. is still inside there, even though the building burned. >> what was your reaction, sue, when you first heard about this? >> horror, disbelief. i actually got physically ill. i couldn't read anymore for a couple of days. >> westminister is like the oscars of dog shows. it's an honor to be here, whether you win or lose. >> we go through in the course of a week, 100 bails of shavings, and 10,000 doggy poop bags. that's just the minor logistics. >> next year, i hope the show sends you to the westminister dog show, because you all week have been making dog noises, and you've been all about it. next year you should push to go.

and cover it and bring back some good stories. >> it's like an entire week long event. so you won't see me for a week. i will cover it from the beginning to the end, and i will be so happy doing it. >> what about work? more from abc next. this is abc's "world news now" inf

this morning on "world news now," a joyful homecoming. >> thousands of weary passengers from that stranded cruise ship finally return to land. some even kissing the ground beneath their feet. it's friday, february 15th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> and good morning. i'm diana perez. >> and i'm rob nelson. happy friday, everybody.

we'll go live to mobile, alabama where thousands of grateful and exhausted people to say the least disembarked finally from that ship and hopefully are in their own beds right now or soon in a few hours, sometime later today. we'll get all of that and more coming up in just a second. but first, other stories making news on this friday morning. a celebrated olympic runner will face a judge today to answer charges that he shot and killed his girlfriend. what police are saying about the couple's past. also this half hour, preschool for everyone. president obama unveils a plan to allow all children access to publicly funded preschool. why some republicans, though, think this is a bad idea. and we're playing around a little this morning. we tend to play around a little on this show, if you noticed. >> if you watch, you might understand. >> our giz whiz brings us the coolest toys from this year's big toy fair, and tech is the name of the game. but first, the passengers

from that cruise ship are finally headed home after a vacation nightmare. >> to say the least. after docking in mobile, alabama, most say they're thankful to be back on solid ground. abc's marci gonzalez joins us this morning with the latest. hi, marci. >> reporter: good morning, rob and diana. that ship pulled into dock here about four hours ago. the final passengers have just disembarked and let me tell you, they were cheering that their nightmare on board is now finally over. the last miles were the longest, as passengers on the carnival "triumph" sweated out their final minutes aboard the luxury liner that became a squalid prison ship. the ship left with 4,000 people on board. but an engine room fire sunday left the vessel a helpless giant. marooned in the gulf of mexico with no power, sewage seeping down walls and scarce rations. >> conditions on board the ship are very challenging.

>> reporter: for passengers, it was a nightmare. >> our toilet sort of exploded all over the place. and we've been on the balcony ever since. >> reporter: carpeting soaked in urine. the heat and stench forced passengers topside where they put up a kind of shanty town, living in the open and sleeping on deck. >> we had sewage coming in the bathroom, the smell was horrific. there's no ac. >> reporter: one sick passenger was medevaced to safety. passengers will be reimbursed, offered a free cruise and $500. >> i'm not angry, i'm just so happy to be home. >> i feel great now, just being off the ship and just being on land. >> you did have to wait two to three hours sometimes to get food, and they would gripe at you or other people would cuss you out because you would have multiples, but you're trying to get for your whole cabin so everybody wasn't standing in line.

>> i know it was very difficult and i want to apologize again for subjecting our guests to that. >> reporter: those not taking those buses are finding their own way home, saying they're too desperate for hot food and a hot shower to wait any longer. really can't blame them. rob and diana? >> thanks a lot, marci. amazing story that you've gotten to watch first hand there. do you get a sense of how many folks are taking that bus to new orleans versus how many are saying i'm out of here, i'm doing my own thing? any sense of the breakdown on that? >> rob, i want to apologize. we're working on a delay here. but it's hard to say exactly what the breakdown is, but we saw probably about two dozen buses leaving here, and they were packed. people waving, smiling and cheering as they pulled away. some of them are heading to texas. that's where this cruise originated. and some of them are going about

two hours away to new orleans. they'll be put up in a hotel to spend the night and then flown home later on. >> all right. marci gonzalez live for us there in mobile. the scene of some very happy returning passengers. thank you, marci. >> that's for sure. a lot of them are happy to be home. they were happy waving from the boat. and they couldn't wait to get on land. a lot of them, they didn't really get on anything else that was being provided by the cruise ship. >> almost a week stuck on those conditions on the boat. you get there, one functioning elevator to get 4,000 people off. that took hours to get everybody off. they are officially all off now. on top of that, now get on a bus for two hours. >> for two hour it is you're going to new orleans, seven if you go to texas. >> then stay the night in the hotel. then find your way home. just imagine what those folks have been through. crazy. welcome back to land. >> that's for sure. south african olympic runner oscar pistorius now faces an

uncertain future. he's been charged with the murder of his girlfriend. he was shielded from reporters when he arrived at court for a bail hearing this morning. he was arrested yesterday following the shooting death of model reeva steenkamp. her body was found inside of pistorius' house and police said there was no other suspect in her death. they also said they have received reports of shouting before the shooting. >> there has previously been incidents at the home of mr. oscar pistorius. allegations of domestic nature. >> pistorius is known as the blade runner. he shot to international fame after becoming the first double amputee to compete in the olympics. >> he's still saying i thought it was an intruder and i was protecting myself and my home. his defense is going to be this was an accident of sorts, not an attempted murder here. but we do have a reporter there for abc. she'll be reporting today for "good morning america" right there from south africa at that courthouse to see how the proceedings occur. >> some parts of the story aren't adding up.

it's going to probably be his problem right now. >> he was so beloved and people had so much sympathy and were inspired by him. and now this. a total shocker. >> fall from grace, for sure. we're getting a better idea how pope benedict foresees his life in retirement. the pope told a group of clergymen that he will be hidden from the world. the vatican confirmed that benedict's closest adviser will continue to serve him as a private secretary, even while running the new pope's household. >> big changes ahead. he's like, i'm gone, i'm disappearing. >> i think he's doing that because he doesn't want there to be a perceived idea that he's going to somehow have something to do with the pope's election. >> pass that baton and move back. here's a look at your friday forecast. light snow for upstate new york and northern new england. up to 5 inches in northern michigan. showers in the tennessee valley. heavy downpours from orlando to miami. 4 to 8 inches of mountain snow

in colorado and wyoming. >> 40s across the rockies. teens from fargo to minneapolis. 28 in chicago. 48 in beantown. 60s from atlanta to new orleans. before we put the whole valentine's day thing to rest for another year, we want to give a shout out to a couple in pennsylvania. introducing beatrice and clayton. they have been married for 79 years. >> wow! >> they knew each other all the way back in grade school. they got married in 1933. beatrice was just 14, clayton 18. along the way they had one son and have two granddaughters, four great grandsons and one great great grandson. they say their longevity is no secret. it's simply all about their love. >> oh, i think for 79 years. >> i've been in love with her ever since school.

>> clayton can still give his bride a good kiss. smooches right there. he's now 97. she is 93. and their family says both are in very good health. in fact, maybe not surprisingly, they were just named the longest married couple in the state of pennsylvania. >> that really is the only way you're going to be able to be married that long. she was 14, he was 18 when they got married. first of all, that doesn't happen anymore. i got married at 28. there's no way i'm going to be married that long. >> you don't know. >> unless they invent something to make me live to 400. >> does the idea of being married another 75 years -- >> i'm very much in love with my husband by the way. >> yeah, nice save. >> but 79 years is a long, long, long time. >> there's such a generational difference on how folks of that era look and viewed marriage. that same fight it out to the end of time. we don't do that anymore.

>> which is unfortunate. think about the person you've known the longest, your parents. would you want to spend a whole lot more time living with them? i love you dad, by the way. i know he's watching. now i feel really bad. we're moving on. >> diana won't be here next week, she'll be grounded. coming up, pushing preschool. >> president obama spends time with some 4-year-olds launching a plan to make sure all kids in this country get an early education. why he says it's simply worth the cost. we'll be right back. ♪ teacher, teacher, can you teach me ♪ "world news now" weather brought to you by delsum. [ female announcer ] feel like you're growing older... waiting to look younger?

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welcome back. this week, president obama followed up on his state of the union address with visits that highlighted some of his plans. >> yesterday was universal preschool education, and that issue took him to georgia. abc's karen travers joins us with the details. good morning, karen. >> reporter: good morning rob. good morning, diana. president obama said none of the proposals he outlined in his state of the union will add a dime to the deficit. but he's facing instant reaction from republicans who say his education plans cost too much. these pre-k students got a surprise and a very high-profile visitor. >> hey, guys. >> reporter: president obama headed to georgia to launch his push for early childhood education, including nationwide publicly funded prekindergarten. >> let's make sure none of our kids start out the race of life

already a step behind. let's make it a priority to give every child access to a high-quality early education. >> reporter: the president obama held up georgia's pre-k program as a model for the rest of the nation. he said parents of all income levels should have access to the same quality education opportunities. >> the size of your paycheck, though, shouldn't determine your child's future. so let's fix this. >> reporter: but the white house didn't put a price tag on how much it would cost to do that, and republicans have already slammed the proposals as too expensive. and an overreach by the federal government. >> we don't need dictates from washington, d.c. intervening and mandating and complicating -- >> reporter: the obama administration says government investment at that young age pays off down the road. educators like paige agree and say studies back that up. >> regardless of the background of the child, regardless of the income, that there is a positive

effect, that the dollar we're investing in early childhood programs is saving us money in what we're not spending in the future. >> reporter: but president obama will need help and money from governors to get congress on board. rob and diana, back to you. >> all right. our thanks to karen travers. just talking about the money, president obama has not released a lot of details about this, but there is one liberal think tank estimates it's going to cost about $100 billion over the next decade to get this done. >> big price tag. >> so that's a lot of money. staying on the value of making this happen, preschool teachers don't have a lot of requirements, and a lot of them make minimum wage. >> wow. >> so, you know, to -- it's just a hard compromise to come up with to get this done. >> you would think if you look at america's educational rankings compared to other countries around the world, and we're slipping, particularly in math and science areas, it's -- i understand the cause factor.

we're in a tight budget spot, how we pay for things is very important. but is there a downside to kids getting into school earlier in terms of long-term benefits? and educational benefits? >> i don't understand. >> that's the issue. we've got to find the money for certain things. still to come, what's a toy these days without all the bells and whistles? >> our giz whiz makes a stop at the annual toy fair here in new york to see what your kids might the annual toy fair here in new york to see what your kids might want for christmas.

all of their toys are electronic or computer based, at least that's the way it seems. >> that's for sure. so who else to report from the annual toy show here in new york but our giz whiz dick debartolo. >> reporter: i'm at toy fair.

110th year of toy fair. yes, i missed the first ten. i already told them back in the studio, i'm not doing anything funny. i'm just being very, very serious about what i'm doing here about toy fair. these are pretty neat. these are called cat ears and nicole is going to tell us what cat ears are doing. >> well, yours are wiggling, so that must mean you're very excited about wearing them. they have four basic settings. they retail for $69.99. >> reporter: one of the themes, construction sets. this is amazing lite brix. you can build a city and these l.e.d.s. there's something here for girls and it's sunset island. kits range from $19.99 up to $99.99. another big category, things that use apps. for example, the i-potty. don't tune out.

i'm not going to demo this myself. >> it's about keeping the kid occupied. sometimes they have to sit there for a while. so it keeps them happy. >> reporter: and it retails for? >> $39.99. >> reporter: and it's available? >> it's available for preorder right now on amazon. >> reporter: something neat from fisher price. create and learn. this case is where your ipad goes. you get a pack of alphabet cards. they store in the case. look what happens when you put them in the back. when you touch the apple, the apple does things. really great for kids. under $40, coming in august. this is digital dress barbie. so look at this, she has an l.e.d. dress. you can draw on the dress, bring up letters on the dress. so the real advantage to this is you can play your favorite music and actually watch the colors on the dress. so this is coming out not until august and it's going to be under $50. this is zoomer right here. he's sleeping right now, but i'm just going to wake him up.

and now he's awake. he does a couple of neat tricks. zoomer, play dead. so zoomer is under $100 and he'll be available this fall. one of the things that's very big at toy fair, retro toys. this goes back to 1945, the slinky. there's jumbo slinky. that's new. this is also new. slinky in really neat colors. doesn't require batteries, which is another reason i like the slinky. what's her name? >> flutterbye fairy. >> reporter: amazing. about $34.95. and it's coming in august. you know, covering toy fair year after year, it's more fun

than -- more fun than -- >> a barrel of monkeys. >> reporter: yeah, monkeys. oh, help, help. i'm being monkeyed out. >> i think dick had fun. >> you think? >> nice assignment. >> and there's all kinds of new things coming out, if you are the fan of angry birds, there's a whole set where you can throw the birds. >> that's kind of cool. i like the i-potty myself. >> terrible idea. us moms know it's a terrible idea. know l be back. 's a terrible idea. >> i'll be back. yield to restful sleep. eepless nights and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur.

alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i looked at my options. then i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call now and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement plans, it helps pick up some of what medicare doesn't pay.

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we know what's going to happen. john mcclain, back in action, going out on a mission. the plot twist in this one, it takes place in russia. he's trying to make amends with his grown son, jack. he finds himself wrapped up in this plot and they have to fight bad guys and shoot 400 people. it's all this action stuff that we always love "die hard" for. take a listen. >> and bruce willis is 79 years old. >> get out of the way! sorry, ma'am. knock knock. >> that's right. rotten tomatoes, the crowd loves this one, 82%. critics, never been kind to the series too much, 13% from the critics. but the series has been around since 1988 was the first "die hard." so this thing has been around a while.

i love bruce willis, i'm going to check it out. yippy kiya, mother russia. so, yes. >> i'm working on "escape from planet earth," a 3-d animated space adventure. this is a cute movie. it's about a guy or an astronaut, he gets trapped by going to help a known alien -- dangerous alien planet. his brother has to come help him. big cast names. we're talking about brendan frazier, ricky gervais, sarah jessica parker. so really cute. so take a listen. >> freeze. >> who's next? >> okay, i love you guys. >> all right. so the good news is, there aren't a whole lot of reviews out there just yet.

but there is one quick review that basically says, it's family fun comedy. it's clever without having to be too overbearing. which is nice to hear. just right amount of silly galactic goodness. and there's a whole lot of fun for the entire family to enjoy. so get out there and watch it. >> a little cartoon fun and blowing people up. you have your choices this weekend. blowing people up.

this morning on "world news now," they are kissing the ground, literally. >> thousands of passengers finally disembarked from that crippled cruise ship, weary and very happy to be home. it is friday, february 15th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> and good morning to all of you. i'm diana perez. >> and i'm rob nelson. happy friday, everybody. we'll have details on that very

happy homecoming coming up in a second. but first let's take a look at other news. breaking news out of russia. bizarre story here. meteorites have rained down on an area about 900 miles from moscow. burning rocks fell from the sky, some reports say several people are injured and thousands of russian troops are now on alert. at least 150 injured there. looks like a scene from "armageddon" or some movie. that's happening this morning in russia. >> imagine waking up to that scene. >> oh, man, crazy. also this morning, a film critic goes on the defense after making some unflattering comments about actress melissa mccarthy's weight. why he said the things he did. why she is the one getting the last laugh. >> everyone loves her. why he would take such a cheap shot i'll never understand. a young man falls in love with the sister of the man who donated that heart that gave him a second chance at life in more ways than one.

another feel-good post valentine's day story there. >> that's a story you're going to want to hear that's for sure. thousands of passengers have streamed off of that cruise ship after it finally docked in mobile, alabama. >> they are now heading home to texas and looking forward to hot showers and working toilets. abc's marci gonzalez reports now from alabama. >> reporter: good morning rob and diana. the ship docked here last night around 10:15 eastern standard time and soon after we started to see the passengers disembarking, so excited that their nightmare on board is finally over. >> not angry. i'm just so happy to be home really. >> i feel great now. just being off the ship and just being on land. >> we did have to wait two to three hours sometimes to get food. and they would gripe at you or other people would cuss you out because you would have multiples but you're trying to get for

your whole cabin so everybody wasn't standing in line. >> reporter: the carnival "triumph" was supposed to be a four-day cruise, but fire knocked out all four engines sunday leaving the ship stranded in the gulf of mexico. >> we had sewage coming in the bathrooms. the smell was horrific. there's no ac. >> reporter: most of the ship was left without power, and passengers say the toilets stopped working and then started backing up. many of the more than 4,000 people on board slept on the deck to avoid the heat and the stench inside. carnival's ceo has apologized and they're offering reimbursement, free cruise and $500. >> i want to apologize again for subjecting our guests to that. we pride ourselves in providing our guests with a great vacation experience, and clearly we failed in this particular case. >> reporter: they're also paying

for the trip home. so many of the passengers are already boarding buses on their way home. others say they just want to find their own way home. they're desperate for a hot shower, and a hot meal after eight days at sea. rob and diana? >> our thanks to marci gonzalez. now to south africa where double amputee olympic runner oscar pistorius is charged with the murder of his girlfriend. pistorius was covered up this morning ahead of a court hearing. police say he's the only suspect in the shooting death of 30-year-old model reeva steenkamp. neighbors reported hearing screaming at the house before the shooting. he made history last summer, becoming the first double amputee to run in the olympics. also this morning, a milestone in afghanistan. it's been nearly a month since an american service member has been killed in that war. the afghans themselves are now doing most of the fighting ahead of the planned u.s. pullout next year. a ground breaking trend in the ultraconservative country, female soldiers are being

trained in the special forces. with the deadline clear, that country says we're going to because this is no longer an american issue, but truly becomes an afghani issue. president obama announced that 34,000 troops will come home by this time next year, which was a faster exit than initially planned. and all troops shout out of there by the end of 2014. >> that is as planned. he was clear and specific in this timeline. we've had some vague timelines in the past when it was president bush and even president obama at the beginning of his administration. so it's good to hear they're coming home and we're going top a complete whole nation with all of our troops home. >> it's weird to think in two years time, iraq and afghanistan both highly controversial wars for all intents and purposes will be over. a former san diego mayor who gambled away $1 billion has acknowledged taking more than $2 million from her late husband's

charity. maureen o'connor cut a deal to avoid prosecution while she works to repay the money. she wagered the $1 billion from 2000 to 2009 mainly playing, get this, video poker. in san diego, vegas and atlantic city. o'connor was married to the founder of the jack in the box fast food chain. she said she was going through a rough time. >> it was at a time that, in my life, the last chapter of my life, where i lost my husband, i lost three of my siblings, i lost my two best friends, then i had a difficult time. >> she also blamed her gambling addiction on a brain tumor, suggesting it impaired her reasoning. a vote on the nomination of chuck hagel as the next

secretary of defense has been put off for ten days. top republicans in the senate blocked a vote over their demand for more information on the benghazi attack from the white house. president obama accused them of playing politics with national security during wartime. meantime, add president obama to the group of americans who aren't sure why the treasury department is still minting pennies. the president said he thinks pennies are kind of nostalgic and said they're an example of government not getting rid of something that just doesn't work in order to replace it with something that does. pennies cost more to make than they're worth. and now the feisty great grandmother in north carolina who stood her ground. she wanted to remain anonymous after a run-in with would-be robbers. the 78-year-old got home and encountered three young men in

her driveway. they demanded her purse. one even had a gun. but she chased them away. >> i worked all my life and those snotty nosed brats not going to take it away from me. >> the woman said her husband told her she should have just given up the purse. she says her next step is to get a permit and then a pistol. today is the day a huge astroid will zoom closer to the earth than ever. but there will be no deep impact. scientists say it will come within 17,000 miles of our planet this afternoon around 2:25 eastern. they promise it won't hit us, but it will knock out a satellite. nasa didn't know about the astroid until a year ago when an amateur astronomer just happened to spot it in our skies. but it seems a remote part of russia did get a visitor from space. at least one meteorite streaked across the sky this morning triggering powerful shockwaves. witnesses say the noise set off car alarms and broke windows and

damaged a factory. at least 250 people were hurt, mostly cuts from broken glass. thousands of russian troops were put on alert. officials working to confirm it was a meteorite or a shower of them. >> apparently according to the latest information we have, 20,000 first responders are being sent to the scene, three aircraft surveying the damage from the scene. again, all those folks injured from the broken glass of all the stuff that shattered during the collision. >> and it's cold there, so the people with shattered windows are in the freezing cold. so a lot going on. now let's check our weather. mountain snow in the central rockies. showers from tennessee to southern illinois. heavy rain from orlando southward. snow around the great lakes and northern new england. >> mostly 50s in the northeast. not bad. 30s for much of the midwest. 40s in albuquerque and 50s in the pacific northwest. at sea world in san diego, they called it the best valentine's day present ever. it was the birth of a new killer whale yesterday.

>> look at that. they are not sure yet if it's a boy or girl, but here are some amazing stats about this. the new baby weighs between 300 and 350 pounds, between 6 and 7 feet long. mom is a whale is believed to be 37 years old and just finished up a nearly 18-month pregnancy. >> wow! this was the sixth successful killer whale birth at sea world in san diego. wow! >> that's a big baby. i'm sure mom is relieved. coming up, the war of words over weight. a film critic is defending his harsh treatment of a popular actress. and an uncommon bond. how a young woman found love even in the midst of grief. you're watching "world news now." "world news now" weather brought to you by intermezzo.

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♪ all you're ever going to be is mean ♪ ♪ why you got to be so mean nice song selection, well done. >> well done. welcome back, everybody. the controversy over the movie critic who blasted melissa mccarthy's weight in her new

movie "identity theft" is entering its second week. >> he's now defending what he said and melissa's cousin, jenny mccarthy, is rushing to defend her. lara spencer has the story. >> i can do this all day with you. >> reporter: it is the plus-size controversy that doesn't seem to be going away. >> she's very talented. >> absolutely. >> reporter: late wednesday, jenny mccarthy came to the defense of her cousin, melissa mccarthy, after her movie and size were panned, who called melissa mccarthy three derogatory terms in regards to her size. >> i don't know the whole story, but i do know that after being in this business 20 years, it's really crummy you get attacked in your personal life in general. >> reporter: while melissa has yet to respond, reed has, defending his review on

wednesday. >> that's what her career is about, she is basing her career on being obnoxious and being overweight, and i don't think that's funny. >> reporter: reed took credit for "identify theft" stealing the weekend box office, earning more than $36 million, doubling expectations, saying the controversy over his criticism was manufactured by the movie studio. >> it got nothing but bad reviews, terrible reviews from everybody. but i'm the one they chose this time to cash in on to try to sell the picture. >> reporter: but while reed may take issue with mccarthy's on screen performance, he says he has praise for her real-life character. >> this girl melissa mccarthy has remained silent, and i think that's very classy. >> reporter: reed says after years of watching friends

struggle with weight issues, he doesn't find fat jokes funny. >> i don't care how much melissa mccarthy weighs. she wants to be fat, she's -- mark, she is crying all the way to the bank. >> i'm having a hard time with his defense of his words. >> you know, it's interesting -- she's successful, she's doing her thing. weight is not an uncommon problem in the country. >> first of all, that's her deal. you don't know if she's 100% healthy. how dare you call her a hippo. >> that was his language, yeah. >> that's uncalled for. and by the way, then he goes on to say, you're classy for not saying anything to the derogatory things i've called you. there's no place for that. >> even willis is upset. >> go on, willis! up next, our favorite story of the day. >> how the tragic death of a young man gave birth to quite a unique love story. you're watching "world news

now." "world news now" conti

get that hate out your heart. feel the love. >> let the love in, let it in. a seattle man got a second chance at life, thanks to an organ donor.

a young man who gave him his heart. >> an amazing story here. on top of that, our favorite story of the day. he was so grateful he reached out to the young man's family and was blessed for a second time. erin johnson of our station in seattle has the story. >> reporter: she likes to put her head to his chest and listen to his heart beat. >> oh, yeah. steady. >> reporter: at 17, connor had been a star catcher, being recruited by division i schools. his life changed in 2005, when they told him he needed a new heart. that if he didn't get one, he would die. >> you pray for someone to save you, but at the same time, you need to pray for them to die. >> reporter: kellen roberts was a seattle kid, very alive, generous to a fault. he drove his red truck all over the country. lived life on his terms.

connor was dying. march 7, 2005, on a trip to sioux falls, south dakota, kellen hit his head in a freak accident. there was hemorrhaging. circulation was cut off to his brain. he died there far from home, but not far from minneapolis. he was an organ donor. the transplant was a success. the engine of life had passed from one man to another. >> i just wish he could know how grateful i am for him. >> reporter: aaron, more than anyone, understands what's in connor's heart. here's why. she too knew kellen roberts. in fact, that was her in the boat with him when they were children. erin is kellen's sister. a year later, they say they fell in love almost immediately. >> instantly. >> i have it vividly in my head, just looking over, feeling her

mom hug me and just staring into her eyes. >> reporter: and so it came to be that her brother's heart is beating inside her true love's chest. >> i hear him all the time in my head. >> oh, my god. wow. i mean, there are stories, and then there are really impactful stories. that's beautiful. >> rarely blown away by a story, but that was it. unbelievable. the power of love on many different levels. we'll be back. levels. we'll be back. septic disasters are disgusting and costly, but avoidable.

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welcome back, everybody. time for "the mix." we want to get to something that is oh, so interesting. apparently, there's a 20-year-old out there named mark who is in a relationship with 15 inflatable animals. there he is. he's going to be featured in tlc's "my strange addiction." and the dragon is like a wife to him, apparently.

but apparently he keeps a pure and nonsexual relationship with these objects. he admits he spends less time with his toys and more time with actual humans. but yeah, that's that. >> wow! there's a joke in there somewhere, but i have to get to this breaking news this morning. they're saying a new study is out saying if you have to fart on a plane, just go for it. if you don't, it can bring on stress, discomfort, pain, bloating and for pilots, could distract them and cause them to break concentration. so if you have to go on the plane, do what you have to do. just -- >> oh! ♪ ♪

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this morning on "world news now," home at last. >> it was a joyful late-night return for the thousands of exhausted passengers trapped on that stranded cruise ship. it's friday, february 15th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good friday morning,

everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm diana perez. more on the passengers' joyful arrival in just a moment. but first, some of the other stories we're following for you this half hour. we could learn more about the case against olympic runner oscar pistorius. he faces a judge to answer accusations that he shot and killed his girlfriend inside their home. also today, a close encounter of a massive astroid speeding towards earth, coming closer than any in years. the surprising way it was discovered. first, passengers who spent more than a week on that cruise ship are grateful to be back on solid ground. >> some bent down and kissed the earth after stepping off that boat in mobile, alabama. abc's marci gonzalez was watching the drama unfold. >> reporter: good evening. the ship pulled into the dock here about four hours ago, and still passengers are disembarking. cheering that their nightmare on board is finally over. the last miles were the longest, as passengers on the carnival "triumph" sweated out their final minutes aboard the luxury liner that became a squalid

prison ship. >> i'm not angry. i'm just so happy to be home really. >> reporter: the "triumph" left port eight days ago with more than 4,000 people aboard. but an engine fire left it a helpless giant. marooned in the gulf of mexico with no power, sewage seeping down walls and scarce rations. for passengers, it was a nightmare. >> sewer kept backing up, and there would be six inches of it all over the ship in the dining area where we had to eat. >> reporter: carpeting in the hallways soaked in urine. the heat and stench forced passengers topside where they put up a shanty town, living in the open and sleeping on deck. one sick passenger was medevaced to safety. >> a few little medical emergencies, and i hope and pray that they're okay. >> reporter: once at port, the passenger's ordeal still isn't over. buses carried weary travelers on the next leg of their long trip home. passengers will be reimbursed, offered a free cruise and $500.

>> i know it's very difficult, and i want to apologize again for subjecting our guests to that. >> reporter: and those not taking the buses are finding their own way home, saying they are too desperate for hot food and a hot shower to wait. we're live in mobile, alabama, marci gonzalez, abc news. now back to you. >> thanks, marci, for that report. appreciate that. unbelievable. you can imagine that will probably be the greatest shower and greatest hot meal they've had in their entire life. >> for sure. >> that one woman medevaced, she had suffered a stroke. we're waiting on word about her condition. obviously a serious condition there. so we're happy to hear they got her off the ship. but you can imagine some folks are like, i don't want to be on your bus. i want out of here to get to a friend's house or a family member. >> not only that, i don't want

your $500, i don't want your free cruise. give me my money back and let me walk away. the president and ceo of carnival cruise lines did come out and say he was going to get on the ship to personally apologize to the people that were on there. as soon as the ship docked he said he was going to get on there and apologize. one thing, though, social media has blown up about how it was a terrible experience but they were appreciative of the crew members who did at least try to make it somewhat of a decent experience. >> the crew was suffering, too. they were in the same awful conditions. all those days waiting to get back to land, only one functioning elevator on that ship. so 4,000 people trying to get off one ship with one elevator to get back to ground. it took them hours. >> and they're still doing it. it's going to take them five hours, estimation. >> those folks all deserve -- >> they're so lucky to be home. >> yes, they are. >> we're happy for them. >> to hell and back. now a story out of south africa. olympic runner oscar pistorius charged with the murder of his

girlfriend. he was in court this morning for a bail hearing. the exact circumstances of 30-year-old model reeva steenkamp's death remain unclear, but police say there have been domestic disputes at pistorius' house previously. pistorius gained global recognition last summer when he became the first double amputee to ever run in the olympics. stunner of a story here. >> this is one of those stories we'll be talking about for a long time, his state of mind, what really happened. here's something interesting. a british journalist told abcnews.com he had several guns at home, one by his bed, one by his window. and also some sort of machine gun. he described pistorius as easy going and relaxed but prone to drastic shifts in mood. we're hearing that they were there before for domestic issues. this is going to be a long, drawn out story. >> the initial story when this broke yesterday is he thought there was an intruder in the house. that maybe this was an accidental shooting.

but apparently maybe that was not the case. >> that was the first story to cover it up and now the story is evolving. still a sad story for sure. now on to this. the body of christopher dorner has been positively identified. dorner's dental records matched the charred remains found inside a burnt out cabin in the big bear resort area, but the coroner did not reveal the cause of death. dorner killed four people, including two officers in his revenge campaign against the lapd. leon panetta will still be the defense secretary, at least for a few more days. republicans in the senate have blocked a vote on chuck hagel's nomination. and since congress is in recess for the president's day holiday, the next time the nomination can be taken up is a week from monday. president obama accused republicans of simply playing politics, charges they deny. also one more political note. the oldest lawmaker in the

senate has announced he will not run again. new jersey's frank lautenberg turned 89 last month. the last world war ii veteran serving in the senate. he faced a likely challenge from the mayor of newark, new jersey, cory booker. the senator has been a staunch advocate of gun control and a big champion of the amtrak rail system. another lawmaker in the news. congressman steve cohen says the young woman he was tweeting with during today's state of the union address was his secret daughter. he said he only discovered her existence three years ago after receiving a tweet from her. he said he was overwhelmed with joy that she actually wanted him in his life. initially, his staff did say that he was tweeting with the daughter of a long-time friend. illinois is a step closer to becoming the tenth state to approve same-sex marriage. in a valentine's day vote, the senate passed a bill that would allow gay couples to get married. the fate of the legislation in the illinois house remains uncertain. but if it passes, the governor, a democrat, has promised to sign it. also from the culture wars this morning, this out of

southern california. a pregnant woman says she was fired for having premarital sex. terry james and her attorney gloria allred are suing san diego christian college claiming wrongful termination. james worked at the school for about two years. she claims she was fired after admitting being pregnant. >> a child is a blessing, and our number one goal is to start our child's life off in a positive way. >> the school's so-called community covenant says premarital sex is frowned upon but it does not say what consequences employees would face for violations. since getting pregnant, james has gotten married. the baby is due in june. a virginia couple is looking forward to an early retirement after claiming a $217 million powerball jackpot. david honeywell bought the ticket at richmond airport last week just before leaving for a business trip. he and his wife nancy opted for

the lump sum cash payment of $130 million before taxes. he described what it felt like when he realized he had won. >> i started reading the numbers left to right. i'm like no, this can't be. i looked up at the draw date and i'm like this still can't be. pretty soon my hands were shaking like this. i can barely read the ticket anymore the shaking is so bad. >> the honeywells both work for the department of defense. they begin their 80 mile commute to work every day at 4:00 a.m. now he's going to buy a new suv to replace his 13-year-old car, which has 170,000 miles on it. couldn't have happened to better people. >> i love when folks win the lottery are everyday working folks and they can retire early or help put their kids through school. that kind of shift, 4:00 a.m., hitting the road for 80 miles. i love when those kind of folks win. >> is it our turn next? lottery gods, is it our turn next? >> don't hold your breath. golf has been referred to as a long walk spoiled, and plenty of rounds have been spoiled with rain, fog and, of course, plenty of bad shots. >> we've never heard of this before.

a stampede of kangaroos, yes, kangaroos delayed play yesterday in the lpga's australian open. they marched across the fairway with little regard for players, caddies or anyone else. >> the experts tell us the rogue roos are being put off by australia's drought and seeking grass and water wherever they can find it. can't blame them. >> that's for sure. coming up, a nail biting near miss. >> a huge astroid is headed close to earth. what's surprising is nasa didn't even see it. we'll tell you why, coming up next right here on "world news now." "world news now" weather brought to you by consumer cellular.

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right now, a giant astroid is hurtling toward the earth. at exactly 2:24 this afternoon eastern time, it will come closer than any other astroid has in decades. >> this drive-by space rock will ultimately spin away harmlessly. but scientists say this is a wakeup call. and abc's neal karlinsky has the story. >> reporter: right now while you're watching this, a chunk of space rock big enough to level a city is hurtling towards our planet eight times faster than a speeding bullet. the good news is scientists say it will miss.

the scary news is, the 130,000 metric ton astroid called da-14 is the size of half a football field, and it will be much closer than the moon. in fact, it will thread the needle between earth and the roughly 600 satellites around us. the ones that your cell phone relies on, possibly even smashing one on its way by. but if that's why you're thinking this is a long way from all of us way down here walking the streets, you may want to think again. the last close call turned out to be a direct hit. it was 1908, and luckily it hit the middle of nowhere, siberia, decimating 1,000 miles of trees but no people. >> if a very large astroid hit, it would probably create the same kind of disaster that wiped out the dinosaurs. >> reporter: amazingly, no one knew it was headed our way until a spanish dentist and amateur astronomer randomly discovered it a year ago. nasa doesn't have the resources to look for astroids, which is

why a trio of american astronauts and rocket scientists are raising money to launch their own astroid early warning system, a dedicated telescope scanning the stars for threats. >> this is a wakeup call that we should be looking out there. these things do hit the earth. >> reporter: scientists say we can keep the planet safe if we know what's out there headed our way. neal karlinsky, abc news, seattle. >> thanks a lot for that story. not the only weird space news this morning either. >> in russia, it's literally raining from the sky. what we think might be a meteor shower has hit this part of the country. i mean, right now some devastation from what we're hearing. lots of cars with busted out windows and lots of homes with busted out windows. some injuries at this point. >> at least is always the key word. 250 people injured because they were hurt by that glass, they

were cut by all that glass shattering in the midst of all this. this is something you would see out of a movie, but we'll keep an eye on that for the rest of the morning. >> no school for them and they're in the cold right now, which is not good news. >> weird news from space. everyone take cover in you have to today.

♪ skinny, so skinny come on, willis. >> skinny in the house! >> all righty. let's get through them. okay, so we all remember the nightclub brawl that chris brown and drake had last june. now the two of them are at it again, but in the courtroom. they have both decided to sue each other, and by the way, the french model, we're not sure if it's a man or woman, is also suing the both of them. three-way lawsuit. >> she was hurt in the scuffle, she had a bottle tossed at her. >> and you know what? it is a she, because we saw the bloody pictures of her face. i remember that. so anyway, everybody's in court. who knows who is going to win? and chris brown, this is not the only brawl he's involved in. billy ocean -- >> not billy ocean. >> who is the ocean? >> frank ocean. >> frank ocean, that's right. >> they had some words. some fisticuffs.

some rough news for him. also, tiger woods, everyone's favorite golfer back in the news. apparently there are reports out that he and famous skier lindsey vonn are getting quite close. she was in the headlines for the bad fall she took. "us weekly" reporting that they're getting closer and spent time with each other's families. her brother gave ski lessons to woods' daughter, sam, and son, charlie, who he shares custody with his ex-wife. to add fuel to the flames here, woods gave vonn a private lift on his jet last week following her bad accident at the championship games. according to "people" magazine, they talk and text frequently. one source says tiger wants a woman he can have good conversations with. he wants shared outlooks. he is finding that with lindsey. thank you to tmz for that photo of the private jet apparently. >> good luck to them. that's all i have to say. >> tiger is well known for being a conversationalist.

so i'm glad he's found somebody he can talk to. now on to this. kesha, kind of like the bad girl of pop these days. there's a new documentary out called "my crazy beautiful life." she reveals she drank her own urine to be healthy. it's kind of -- well, it is flat out disgusting. but she's always known for her outrageous behavior. during this documentary series it includes her making out with guys, jumping out of buildings and airplanes. swimming with sharks and much, much more. so you'll obviously want to see this. >> drinks her own urine? >> well, they say that it does have powerful effects, apparently. >> yeah, on your breath. oh, man. kesha, she's out there, though. can't be too surprised. this story i'm in love with. we all know chubby checker, do the twist. he is suing hewlett-packard for $500 million because apparently there's a new app called the

chubby checker which allows women to estimate the length of their man's genitalia based on his shoe size. the thing about his name, chubby checker, there's an app called chubby checker that estimates a man's whatever based on his shoe size. chubby is upset, using my name now i want some money. what you looking at? chubby's mad over chubby. looking at? chubby's mad over chubby. ack to. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal.

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president's state of the union to the canine best in show. >> gabby giffords deserves a vote. the families of newtown deserve a vote. and the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence, they deserve a simple vote. >> the truth is, every problem can't be solved by the government. many are caused by the moral breakdown in our society. and the answer to these challenges lie primarily in our families and our faiths, not our politicians. >> he certainly slowed down a bit. you could tell he had trouble negotiating steps. he started using the cane several months ago. >> the cardinals are going to have to weigh experience and the need for a certain level of energy. >> there's no light, no water. we can't flush. some people were able to shower. >> our promise to our guests is to provide great vacations, and we try very hard to do that all

the time. it's obvious in this particular case we did not deliver on that promise. >> every day that dorner is loose, the likelihood of an attack on either a uniformed police officer or a family of a police officer is likely. >> we believe that someone was inside. is still inside there, even though the building burned. >> what was your reaction, sue, when you first heard about this? >> horror, disbelief. i actually got physically ill. i couldn't read anymore for a couple of days. >> westminister is like the oscars of dog shows. it's an honor to be here, whether you win or lose. >> we go through in the course of a week, 100 bails of shavings, and 10,000 doggy poop bags. that's just the minor logistics. >> next year, i hope the show sends you to the westminister dog show, because you all week have been making dog noises, and you've been all about it. next year you should push to go.

and cover it and bring back some good stories. >> it's like an entire week long event. so you won't see me for a week. i will cover it from the beginning to the end, and i will be so happy doing it. >> what about work? more from abc next. this is abc's "world news now"

breaking overnight. widespread damage from a massive meteorite. >> incredible video just coming in. hundreds of people injured, when the sky started falling this morning. the streak of light, seen by millions. extensive damage on the ground. we'll have the very latest. also breaking overnight, relief. thousands of passengers are finally off that crippled cruise liner. we've been hearing from them overnight. and we're live in alabama. blade runner in court, now facing murder charges.

the stunning twist for a celebrated athlete. and new vintage. the super celebs and their newest role, winemakers. going on sale soon. and good friday morning, everybody. we do begin with breaking news this morning. a shocker from outer space. a sudden meteor shower, raining down chunks of burning rocks on russia. >> the speeding meteorite was captured on camera, streaking across the skies of siberia overnight. shattering windows and injuring more than 400 people. many of him hit by broken glass. >> 20,000 soldiers have been sent to that scene. with so many windows shattered, schools in the area had to be closed because the temps had dipped to about zero outside. it's a developing situation,